Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2024 i Wildfowl

THEY ARE THE HEROES OF DUCKS, flying to the rescue in the nick of time to save the day. This issue we celebrate our favorite flying kitchen utensil, the spoonbill. Late last season, I got a reminder of their heroics. We never expect much on our local public reservoir, Lake Whynot, where last-second improv blinds made from weeds and driftwood are scattered all over, thrown together to chase the fickle water levels of a muni watershed. A pile of flip-flops and plastic bottles beside our own tumbleweed-covered log heap reminded us how silly it is to try kill ducks here. This is, after all, the place where a drum circle started on the far shoreline when we were crazy enough to hunt a Saturday. The older guys are happy with…

THE GEESE STRIKE BACK On January 20, 2024, a dead goose was found in the flight control system of a crashed medical helicopter. All aboard had perished, and other geese were found in the debris of the crash, which happened near Hydro, Oklahoma, about 60 miles west of Oklahoma City. The helicopter was on its way back to Weatherford after dropping a patient off at Oklahoma City Hospital. TEXAS MAY KILL LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION SEASON Texas Wildlife made a surprising recommendation in March for its proposed regulation package for the 2024-25 hunting season: The elimination of the Light Goose Conservation Order season in both the Eastern and Western Goose zones across the Lone Star State. Under the proposal goose hunters would also see 19 days added at the end of…

NO, THIS IS NOT one of those childhood games where kids sit in a circle and take turns chasing each other like maniacs. Instead, this is a take on the classic “Chicken-Fried Steak,” but instead of frying in lard and using beef, we are frying in duck fat and using pounded-flat Canada goose breasts. You can purchase duck fat at some grocers or order online. Or, yes, you can make it yourself. It requires saving the skin from your waterfowl. For more tips on rendering duck fat or making duck butter, check out WILDFOWL’s website (wildfowlmag.com) for a whole article on the subject. You can absolutely make this dish with waterfowl other than Canada goose. If using mallard breasts, for example, you likely wouldn’t butterfly but instead just use a…

WE ALL WANT A retriever that makes us proud of its ability to focus on a falling duck or goose and then nail the retrieve. Whether it’s a quick, 30-yard swim through decoys or a 200-yard challenge to find a bird that sailed down on the far shore. Becoming a solid marker (when a dog marks a bird’s location), is a learned trait. While the urge to retrieve might be instinctive, getting good at marking requires much repetition. There’s no such thing as too much retrieving practice. Here are some of the things I do to help my dogs become better markers. FIRST THINGS FIRST Marking drills should be about marking, period. When you start working on formal marking drills it’s best if your retriever already complies with basic obedience…

LAST WEEK, I RECEIVED an email with the subject line: “Spoon Me.” Normally such requests get auto-sorted to the spam folder, where they wilt alongside offers to earn $25,000 per month working from home and Linkedin requests from 2008. But this one retained pride of place atop the inbox because it was sent from the personal account of none other than WILDFOWL Editor-In-Chief Skip Knowles. I took a deep breath and left the cursor in place. We all know Skip’s under a lot of pressure these days, what with the rising costs of both mountain bike shorts and Gold Bond. But this is not the shape I expected the breakdown to take. I summoned my courage, closed my eyes, and clicked. Well, faithful readers, I’m happy to report that Skip…

A5-MINDED Hey Skip, I read your “Weather or Not” article in Wildfowl. I see you have tested the new A5 20 gauge and was wondering your thoughts. I had one in my hands at Pheasant Fest in Sioux Falls and like the feel. How did you like it? Also let me know if you have the 26” or 28” barrel. I normally shoot shorter barrels but I may be changing my tendency on this gun as it seems a long barrel may help me swing better with these lighter guns. Thanks for the info. Love your articles. Keep shooting, — Randy CornwallSpirit Lake Iowa Hi Randy—I grew up hunting with a 20 gauge model 11 Remington, so holding that new little A5 feels like a homecoming of sorts. I love…

DOKKEN DEADFOWL PUPPY TRAINER When most people get a new puppy, they work on potty training and puppy kisses. When hunters get a new puppy, their immediate thought is getting to work. That is where Dokken’s Deadfowl Puppy Trainer comes into play. Like other Dokken training dummies, the Puppy Trainer encourages proper hold and combats aggressive shaking. Other key features include a natural game bird feel, a dead bird neck, will not sink when thrown into water, and has an internal scent system. It is available in mallard, teal, and bufflehead configurations and is perfect for both puppies and smaller retrieving breeds. $23 | gundogsupply.com MOJO LITE SPINNING WING DECOY A scaled down version of MOJO’s new Mallard, the MOJO Lite is packed with all the features and durability of…

WHEN THE BROWNING A5 SWEET 16 was launched in 2016 (of course) a few years after the new 12 gauge A5 debuted, it was largely targeting the pent up nostalgia for the 16 gauge, and they absolutely nailed it. It was wildly successful beyond the brand’s initial hopes and an instant media darling. Looks, charm, performance in a package that “holds like a 20, hits like a 12.” Hard to beat that. But Browning may have just done it. Pent up demand for a 20 gauge version has been simmering ever since, and why not? For most of us, the 20 just makes sense. It is only a tad behind the 16 in payload because the 16 is only made in 2 ¾ and the 20 comes in 3”, for an…

Fatherhood is an endeavor that is filled with overwhelming emotions, exciting experiences, and ever-changing perspectives. It tests our innate responsibility to provide and promotes our primal desire to build for the future. When I think about my relationship with my father, I appreciate the opportunities and adventures he has provided for me, many afield with great people and beloved retrievers. He demands respect, but taught me the valuable tenets of faith, family, and friendship. Throughout our time together we’ve been able to give mutual support through many of life’s toughest obstacles, including his cancer diagnoses and my career path. He has taught me to appreciate America’s native peoples, their cultures, and a shared love for nature. As he continues to age our hunting tactics have changed, but there is nothing…